Recent LCC graduates have some avenues for finding jobs

Published: Friday, January 4, 2013 at 10:57 PM.

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Recent LCC graduate Ronnisha Lewis, 17, wants to be a software engineer with Google and has been looking for job placement at aerospace companies while she pursues an undergraduate degree.

“Depending on what your career is in, you may have to relocate,” said JobLink Director Phoebe Emory. “That’s something some people aren’t willing to do or can’t do. … That’s very important in today’s market.”

Emory said she met with a student Friday to search for jobs and there was only one available in Kinston. That was a similar disadvantage Stapleford was faced with when she applied to the sheriff’s office — which has four positions for her certification.

“We have to wait for them to get out before we can advance, so that’s kind of the only downfall,” Stapleford said.

Some of December’s graduates are still looking and others had jobs before they graduated, but LCC wants to help former students anyway.

“I try to encourage people to not give up (or) get frustrated,” Emory said. “Keep searching. There’s a job out there for you.”

Career choices for college graduates are slim in Lenoir County, but keeping them local isn’t impossible.

Lindsey Ray Stapleford graduated from Lenoir Community College in December along with 84 other students, with career hopes of becoming a detective in Lenoir County one day. Although positions at the sheriff’s office are limited, she’s still staying home and working her way up.

“You have to crawl before you can walk,” Stapleford said of her decision. “I’m going to start in the jail and see how that works.”

She started the lengthy application process after her Dec. 14 graduation and is in the last phases. She was filling out personal statement forms on Friday.

Stapleford landed the job opportunity as a detention officer with the Lenoir County Jail through networking with program instructors with LCC’s Cooperative Education Program.

“We feel that co-op during their tenure here at the college helps them to prepare for that job,” said program director Frances Gaskins. “It gives them the experience in their field of study, and it also gives them a reference for that occupation.”

When students graduate from LCC, they are given a job packet containing three reference letters for employers.

While the college offers various employment resources for graduates, the job-seeking field has changed.

“It’s not easy,” Gaskins said. “I think it takes a lot of diligence, (but) I think students can find jobs.”

She said they have to be willing to relocate, “because there is a lot of unemployment right now.”

The jobless rate in Lenoir County was 9.7 percent in November as compared to 10.9 in 2011, according to the Division of Workforce Solutions.

“I think a lot of recent grads don’t really know about our services because of the other avenues that they have to search for jobs,” DWS Director Jamie Wallace said. “We help everyone with job placement.”

The agency offers resume and job-seeking skills workshops, interview preparation and face-to-face assistance, but many people don’t use it as a last resort because a stigma is attached to “unemployment office,” Wallace said.

He said Sanderson Farms and Smithfield are companies always looking for employees, which isn’t ideal for recent graduates in rare career fields.

Recent LCC graduate Ronnisha Lewis, 17, wants to be a software engineer with Google and has been looking for job placement at aerospace companies while she pursues an undergraduate degree.

“Depending on what your career is in, you may have to relocate,” said JobLink Director Phoebe Emory. “That’s something some people aren’t willing to do or can’t do. … That’s very important in today’s market.”

Emory said she met with a student Friday to search for jobs and there was only one available in Kinston. That was a similar disadvantage Stapleford was faced with when she applied to the sheriff’s office — which has four positions for her certification.

“We have to wait for them to get out before we can advance, so that’s kind of the only downfall,” Stapleford said.

Some of December’s graduates are still looking and others had jobs before they graduated, but LCC wants to help former students anyway.

“I try to encourage people to not give up (or) get frustrated,” Emory said. “Keep searching. There’s a job out there for you.”

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan